ABS FIESTA REDUX

[Operator¹]

: That's not going to be a pleasant report to write.

[Ad Bot]

[Badger]

Walter speaks up after awhile

"So, what's the plan from here out?"

[Qwepir]

"Cover our tracks? How?" Cualli glances down at Elu.

: The less you know, the better you'll sleep.

The engineer gets into a separate pod.

Walter speaks up after awhile

"So, what's the plan from here out?"

: We're going to meet with a tanker plane off the Kirazan coast and then fly the rest of the way to the Gothic capital. The Imperial Guard already know we're coming, but they don't know about you. Just fly normally, stay with us, and don't run your mouth and we should be able to convince them to let you land on the Indomitus so you can explain yourselves in person.

[Mr. Hurricane]

"I still hate the roostersucking Imperials. I'll try to bite my tounge,"

You sound like a loving idiot.

Jaakko sighs.

"Is that a Mercanan tanker we're meeting with?

He toys with his multifunction display and brings up the ESAM functionality, and sees if he can't extend its protection to Virvel.

[Badger]

: We're going to meet with a tanker plane off the Kirazan coast and then fly the rest of the way to the Gothic capital. The Imperial Guard already know we're coming, but they don't know about you. Just fly normally, stay with us, and don't run your mouth and we should be able to convince them to let you land on the Indomitus so you can explain yourselves in person.

"Very well, Guess we should disable jamming for the time being so we aren't suspicious."

[Qwepir]

"Is that a Mercanan tanker we're meeting with?

: No, ours.

[Mr. Hurricane]

"Very well, Guess we should disable jamming for the time being so we aren't suspicious."

"Right, any IFF settings we need?"

Jaakko disabled his jamming.

"Done,"

: No, ours.

"Damn, for a second I could relax because if it was a Mercanan tanker that would mean- should mean that they really are in on whatever you're doing. I've put a lot of faith in you, especially considering you were ready to kill us outright. I hope it isn't misplaced,"

[Qwepir]

"Damn, for a second I could relax because if it was a Mercanan tanker that would mean- should mean that they really are in on whatever you're doing. I've put a lot of faith in you, especially considering you were ready to kill us outright. I hope it isn't misplaced,"

: I have a number of theories why the Mercanans aren't keen to act on the information we gave them. Right now I'm just trying to wrap my head around how to explain to the Guard that this ragtag group of defectors isn't going to sabotage their fleet from the inside.

[carolcat]

Cualli watches the engineer leave, then starts buckling Elu into one of the seats. "As soon as we're somewhere safe, I'll get you fixed up, okay?" she promises, trying to hide the fear that she can feel rising within her. Chances are, their escape pod is going to land out in the middle of the ocean and their chances of rescue... Well, she doesn't know if anyone will come for them. And if someone does come to pick up their pod, she doesn't know whose side they'll be on. After what she's learned from the Kintharian engineer, it feels as if all solid ground has been pulled out from under Cualli's feet.

She pulls Elu into a tight hug, kissing him on the top of the head. "Thank you for what you did earlier." Cualli hopes that Elu doesn't notice her trembling arms or the nervous hint in her voice. She lingers in the hug for a few moments longer before sitting in the seat beside Elu and quickly buckling herself in.

[Mr. Hurricane]

: I have a number of theories why the Mercanans aren't keen to act on the information we gave them. Right now I'm just trying to wrap my head around how to explain to the Guard that this ragtag group of defectors isn't going to sabotage their fleet from the inside.

"So what's their deal then? Are the abstaining from intervening or are they still in line with Aesthia?"

Have we been taken for fools?

[Qwepir]

Cualli watches the engineer leave, then starts buckling Elu into one of the seats. "As soon as we're somewhere safe, I'll get you fixed up, okay?" she promises, trying to hide the fear that she can feel rising within her. Chances are, their escape pod is going to land out in the middle of the ocean and their chances of rescue... Well, she doesn't know if anyone will come for them. And if someone does come to pick up their pod, she doesn't know whose side they'll be on. After what she's learned from the Kintharian engineer, it feels as if all solid ground has been pulled out from under Cualli's feet.

She pulls Elu into a tight hug, kissing him on the top of the head. "Thank you for what you did earlier." Cualli hopes that Elu doesn't notice her trembling arms or the nervous hint in her voice. She lingers in the hug for a few moments longer before sitting in the seat beside Elu and quickly buckling herself in.

: I think I will be fine. There is merely foreign debris lodged in my joint.

"So what's their deal then? Are the abstaining from intervening or are they still in line with Aesthia?"
Have we been taken for fools?

: My best guess is that Mercanan officials believe if the Imperium does decide to fire on everyone at once, the missiles headed specifically for them will be few enough that their missile defense systems can shoot them all down. Sound on paper, doubt it would work in practice. They could also be conducting their own investigation into the matter and don't want to act just yet.

[carolcat]

"Oh, I should be able to take care of that," she tells him. She reaches over and hits the button to deploy the escape pod, then leans back into her seat and braces herself.

There's a jolt and a loud sound as the pod ejects from the carrier, followed by the stomach-lifting, weightless sensation of freefall as they plummet through the air. She looks over at Elu as her hair begins to float around her face, trying to gauge the robot's reaction to the sensation. In the relatively quiet space of the escape pod, the weightlessness is a mixture of tranquility followed by fear when one remembers the fact that they're falling at an alarmingly fast rate.

Cualli pulls her tongue back into her mouth, gently holding her teeth together, just in time for her to feel the next of the three jolts: the sudden tug of their chutes deploying. Good. They work. The sensation of gravity's pull returns as their speed reduces, and Cualli reaches over to take Elu's hand.

She thinks to what must be happening in the air with Mjolnir and Djuriskas. She wonders if they have any idea of what's happened on the carrier or of what's to come. She tries to put the pieces together mentally. She knows that a couple of the Mjolnir pilots took Kintharian airframes. She can't recall there being too many Kintharian engineers on the carrier, only about ten or so; it would be safe for her to assume that they were all involved in this sabotage to some degree or another.

The Sabre on the carrier could be made into a bomb. The distant sounds of its engine starting echo in Cualli's head along with the engineer's last words to her: The less you know, the better you'll sleep. Her eyes widen as she thinks of the explosion on the carrier, then to the possibility that the Kintharian airframes in use by Mjolnir pilots could be severely compromised.

Well, jokes on him, I guess, Cualli thinks, her eyes returning to normal. I really couldn't give a stuff about most of the people on that carrier. What have they ever done for me?

Her mind slowly drifts to Arkhip and she feels a brief pang of longing in her chest. You should have taken me with you.

There's another sharp jolt as the pod impacts with the water. Cualli can hear the sloshing of the water as they briefly go under, then feels the pod bob and turn on the waves as it resurfaces after the flotation devices deploy.

[Tayasaurus]

"if you can't do a good enough job convincing the goths, then i can't say you're going to like the result after that. I'm not keen on being paraded around and then promptly executed by fascists."

[Qwepir]

"Oh, I should be able to take care of that," she tells him. She reaches over and hits the button to deploy the escape pod, then leans back into her seat and braces herself.

There's a jolt and a loud sound as the pod ejects from the carrier, followed by the stomach-lifting, weightless sensation of freefall as they plummet through the air. She looks over at Elu as her hair begins to float around her face, trying to gauge the robot's reaction to the sensation. In the relatively quiet space of the escape pod, the weightlessness is a mixture of tranquility followed by fear when one remembers the fact that they're falling at an alarmingly fast rate.

Cualli pulls her tongue back into her mouth, gently holding her teeth together, just in time for her to feel the next of the three jolts: the sudden tug of their chutes deploying. Good. They work. The sensation of gravity's pull returns as their speed reduces, and Cualli reaches over to take Elu's hand.

She thinks to what must be happening in the air with Mjolnir and Djuriskas. She wonders if they have any idea of what's happened on the carrier or of what's to come. She tries to put the pieces together mentally. She knows that a couple of the Mjolnir pilots took Kintharian airframes. She can't recall there being too many Kintharian engineers on the carrier, only about ten or so; it would be safe for her to assume that they were all involved in this sabotage to some degree or another.

The Sabre on the carrier could be made into a bomb. The distant sounds of its engine starting echo in Cualli's head along with the engineer's last words to her: The less you know, the better you'll sleep. Her eyes widen as she thinks of the explosion on the carrier, then to the possibility that the Kintharian airframes in use by Mjolnir pilots could be severely compromised.

Well, jokes on him, I guess, Cualli thinks, her eyes returning to normal. I really couldn't give a stuff about most of the people on that carrier. What have they ever done for me?

Her mind slowly drifts to Arkhip and she feels a brief pang of longing in her chest. You should have taken me with you.

There's another sharp jolt as the pod impacts with the water. Cualli can hear the sloshing of the water as they briefly go under, then feels the pod bob and turn on the waves as it resurfaces after the flotation devices deploy.

Glancing out one of the portholes lining the roof of the capsule, you can see the smoke trailing from the Tordenskjold. Then, a bright flash of light, as the Sabre's engine breaches and the resulting explosion engulfs the front end of the carrier.

"if you can't do a good enough job convincing the goths, then i can't say you're going to like the result after that. I'm not keen on being paraded around and then promptly executed by fascists."

: They're not going to execute you, Tippy. Not unless you've taken to bombing hospitals since we've been gone.

[Tayasaurus]

"Forgive me if I don't take everything you say at heart. You were all ready to ambush and kill us because of last minute intel."

Tippy pinches her brow then rubs her temples. She was beginning to get a headache.

"Is there anything else about the intel that your superiors shared with you? Was there any previous investigations or suspicions before the planned strike we were going to carry out."